Summary

Euthanasia is an act aimed at causing the death of another person out of compassion, and at the personal request of the dying person. It is assistance in dying, not palliative care (e.g., alleviating the pain of the dying person). In legal terms, this constitutes intentional killing, the unlawfulness of which may, however, be excluded in certain cases. Nevertheless, this situation is not the only possible solution to the issue of euthanasia. The appropriate solution for end-of-life care in Estonia must be determined through public debate. To contribute to the public debate, the author first provides a brief overview of Estonians’ attitudes towards euthanasia. This is followed by a summary of the euthanasia debate, which has been ongoing for almost 100 years. For the debate to be a fruitful exchange of ideas rather than a clash of entrenched positions, it is necessary to understand what euthanasia is and what it is not. This article therefore provides an overview of the legal implications of various actions and explains medical situations at the end of life.